Car enthusiasts come out to honour a young Calgarian

September 09, 2015

Thanks to ‘Show Your Ride for Brandon 2015’, approximately $15,000 will go to an endowed SAIT student award in memory of Brandon Thomas. Hundreds of car enthusiasts from Calgary, around Alberta and even B.C., converged on a southeast Calgary parking lot on Aug. 23 to show off their custom and vintage cars as a tribute to Brandon with the proceeds going to a memorial scholarship at SAIT. The student award will go to a student in the Automotive Service Technology program who “demonstrates an attitude of giving and kindness.”

Brandon, a Cochrane Alberta high school student, was killed by an impaired driver in 2012. The 17 year old had a passion for cars and planned to enroll in SAIT’s auto mechanics program. His mother says creating a memorial scholarship is her way of keeping his memory alive and to create opportunities for other students who have a similar passion.

Kim Thomas says she was overwhelmed by the approximately 600 drivers who brought their hot rods and custom cars to the show as well as all the sponsors and volunteers who got involved. “I cried a lot of tears that day, tears of gratitude because of all the support for the show, and tears of sadness because I wish I could plan a car show like that ‘with’ Brandon not ‘for’ him. He would have loved it,” says Kim.

Kim says Show Your Ride for Brandon has become an annual event; the next one is planned for August 2016. She says the goal is to raise more money to support additional SAIT student awards and also to contribute to organizations that raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving.